Blind



March 10, 1970 TAKASHI INIWA BLIND 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1968I N VENTOR.

aw IV M5 w e m 1 m W March 10, 1970 TAKASHI NIWA I 3, 9

BLIND Filed March 18, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "INVENTOR. MA AS'H/ /V/W4March 10, 1970 TAKA'SHI NIWA I 3,499-477 BLIND Filed March 18, 1968 5Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR. Zak/156V 47/444 wiZwzm i gw March 10, 1970 TAKASHI NIIWA3,499,477

I BLIND 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 18, 1968 m T m V N I B 174/0? S/l/MW/l z/M/Lw, awn/s4 United States Patent 3,499,477 BLIND Takashi Niwa,2-9-9, Shingashi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Mar. 18, 1968, Ser.No. 713,740

Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 23, 1967, 42/17,687; Apr. 7,1967, 42/28,668, 42/28,669; Apr. 12, 1967, 42/29,943; Jan. 31, 1968, 43/

Int. Cl. E06b 9/36 US. Cl. 160-166 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present invention relates to a device for operating shading stripsin a vertical type of blind having vertically elongated shading stripsor screen strips.

The vertical type of blind specifically mentioned herein refers to onewhich is so constituted that a number of vertically arranged, elongatedscreen strips are arranged in parallel with each other. Each strip issuspended at one end thereof by a pulley which is mounted on a guiderail. The screen strips can be gathered or drawn to either of the rightand left ends of the rail and they can be spread apart and returned tothe initial position thereof by reciprocable movement of said pulleysalong the guide rail by pulling a cord or the like connected to saidpulleys.

Further, said screen strips can be readily and smoothly turned about avertical axis to direct their surfaces to any angles or directions bypulling another cord or the like.

In the conventional vertical type of blind the screen strips are turnedto any desired direction by rotation of threaded vertically short rods,each of which is secured to an upper end of one screen strip and ismeshed with a threaded horizontal long rod which rod can be rotatedthrough grooved wheels by pulling a cord. This type of construction hasmany defects such as the structural complexity due to the essentialrequirement for arrangement of a large number of threaded short rods sothat they can be reciprocably moved and also attached to every screenstrip for turning said strips, laborious work in the manufacture of theblind which leads to high manufacturing cost, and short durability dueto damage or trouble occasioned during its use.

An object of the present invention, for the purpose of eliminating thesedefects as mentioned hereinabove, is to provide a device for operatingthe screen strips in a vertical type of blind, which device is soconstituted that the screen strips can be smoothly turned whereby theirsurfaces can face in any desired direction by means of an extremelysimplified mechanism. Another object of the present invention is toprovide a device for operating screen strips in a vertical type ofblind, which device is so constructed that the causes of trouble ordamage are reduced to a minimum so that the blind will be durable.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device foroperating screen strips in a vertical type of ice blind so constitutedthat the blind can be manufactured more easily and at a lower cost incomparison with the conventional type of vertical blind.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device foroperating screen strips in a vertical type of blind so constituted thateach of a series of twistably movable pieces is connected at one endthereof through a universal joint to a lower end of one of a number ofpulleys rotatably mounted on a guide rail and the pieces are fixed atthe other end thereof to respective screen strips, and which are movableguide plates are provided movably in a vertical direction for turningsaid twistably movable pieces to smoothly direct their surfaces to anydesired direction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device foroperating screen strips in a vertical type of blind so constituted thateach of the twistably movable pieces is connected at one end thereof tothe lower end of a pulley through a universal joint and is fixed at thelower end thereof to the upper end of individual screen strips, saidtwistably movable pieces being mounted for vertical movement, and fixedguide plates are provided for rotating or turning said twistably movablepieces, thereby enabling said screen strips to turn smoothly and readilyto any desired direction.

Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing description given with reference to accompanying drawingsshowing preferred embodiments of device for operating screen strips in avertical type of blind according to the present invention. In theaccompanying drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are front views of two different embodiments of a verticaltype of blind;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are partly enlarged front views of frag ments of FIGURES 1and 2, respectively;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views, taken along the line V-V of FIG. 3and the line VI-VI of FIG. 4, respectively;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of two forms of a twistably movablepiece;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a modified twistably movablepiece and related mechanism thereof; and

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the assembly of thetwistably movable piece and the related mechanism thereof shown in FIG.9.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, a is a framemember, which is mounted on an upper frame portion of a window or otherstructure defined between two pillars. The frame a includes guide plates1 extending horizontally and confronting each other and defining a guidespace In therebetween.

2 is a bearing into which an axle 3 is inserted. Mounted at both ends ofsaid axle 3 are pulleys or rollers 4 which can move along said guideplates 1.

5 is a twistably movable piece being formed either by an elongated orsquare plate as shown in FIG. 7 or by a twisted frame member as shown inFIG. 8. In both cases,

the piece 5 is twisted through the angle of of both above and below thelongitudinal median portion 5a thereat so that the lower end 50 thereofis displaced through an angle of in relation to the upper end 5b.

Said twistably movable piece 5 extends through a guide groove 6a in amovable guide plate 6 and is connected at the upper end thereof to apendent portion 2a through an attaching piece 7 and a universal joint 8.The pendent portion 2a is connected to the bearing 2 and extends throughand is reciprocably movable along the guide space 1a.

A number of screen strips 9 are each formed in an elongated shape andform a strong cloth woven from refractory fibers or textiles. Athermohardening process can be carried out on said strips for increasingfurther the refractory and transformation resistance thereof. Each strip9 is fixed at the upper end thereof by means of an attaching piece 10 tothe lower end of a twistably movable piece 5. The lower ends of thestrips 9 are joined with each other by means of a cord 11 or the like.The pendent portions 2a of the bearings 2 are also joined with eachother by means of a cord 12 or the like.

13 is an endless cord for actuating the pulleys 4. The cord 13 istrained around several guide wheels 14 and includes portions 13a and131) which are connected to the bearing 2 located at either of the rightand left ends of the frame member 1 of the blind. Now, if one portion13a of the endless or looped cord 13 is pulled, all pulleys 4 are movedin good order to the right in FIG. 1 to transfer all screen strips 9 tothe right side. Screen strips 9 thus collected together at the rightside can be moved leftwardly and spread apart by pulling another portion13b of the endless cord 13, thereby restoring said screen strips totheir initial positions.

15 is another cord for varying the angle or direction in which thesurfaces of the screen strips 9 face. Said cord 15 is trained aroundguide wheels 16 disposed at several spaced-apart positions inside theframe member a and said cord 15 is connected both at the ultimate endand at the several intermediate portions thereof to two other cords 17.Said cords 17 are connected at the opposite ends thereof to the rightand left sides (in FIG. 5) of the movable guide plate 6. A pulling ofthe cord 15 downwardly causes the movable guide plate 6 to be liftedupwardly by means of the cords 17. The twistably movable pieces 5 arethereby twistably turned in response to the upward movement of saidmovable guide plate 6, thereby turning the surfaces of screen strips toface in other directions. The angle or direction in which the surfacesof screen strips face varies depending upon the position to which thecord 15 is pulled. The screen strips 9 are maintained in their desiredposition by any locking or fastening means to which the cord 15 isfastened or hooked. When the cord 15 is released, the movable guideplate 6 descends by gravity and causes the twistably movable piece 5 toturn during its descending movement.

By fastening the cord 15 to any suitable locking or latching means, themovable guide plate 6 and thereby the twistably movable pieces 5 areheld against further movement so that the screen strips are held so thattheir surfaces face in the desired direction. If cord 15 is againreleased, the movable guide plate 6 descends to its original or initialposition, thereby putting the screen strips in good parallel arrangementas they are.

In FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 showing another embodiment, a is a frame member,which is mounted on an upper frame of a window or the like structuredefined between two pillars and includes at the upper portionthereinside a bearer plate 19 extending horizontally and having ahorizontal guide groove 19a. The frame member a also has a lower guideplate 20 extending horizontally and having ahorizontal guide groove 20a.

Located on said bearer plate 19 is a vertically movable guide rail 21,which has a horizontally extending guide groove 21a therein.

On or above said vertically movable guide rail 21 there is provided anactuating unit consisting of a bearing 2 having a pendent portion 2a, anaxle 3 inserted into said bearing 2, and pulleys 4 mounted on both endsof the axle 3 and movable along the vertically movable guide rail 21.

5 is a twistably movable piece, which is formed substantially similar tothat set forth in FIGS. 7 and 8. Each of said plurality of twistablymovable pieces extends through the groove 20a of the guide plate 20 in amanner as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 and each piece is connected at theupper end thereof o the pendent portion 2a of said bearing 2 through anattaching piece 7 and a universal joint 8. Said pendent portion 2a isarranged for either vertical or horizontal movement inside the guidegroove 21a of the guide rail 21.

A number of vertically elongated screen strips 9 are formed from astrong cloth woven with refractory fibers and a thermohardening processcan be carried out thereon for increasing the heatproof property andresistance to transformation. Each of said screen strips 9 isconnectedat the upper end thereof to the lower end of the twistably movable piece5 through an attaching piece 10. The lower ends of the strips 9 arejoined to each other by a cordll. The pendent portions 2a of therespective bearings 2 are also joined together by another cord 12.

13 is an endless or looped cord for actuating the pulleys 4. The cord 13is trained over several numbers of guide wheels 14 and is connected atcertain positions thereof to the bearing 2 positioned at both the rightand left end or either of the two ends of the blind frame. Now, if thecord 13a is pulled, pulleys 4 are moved in good order from the left endto the right in FIG. 2 to move all of the screen strips 9 to the rightend of the blind. When the cord 13b is pulled, the screen strips 9 thusgathered or collected at the right end are spread leftwards to berestored to their initial positions.

15 is a cord for varying the direction or angle surfaces of screenstrips 9, face. The cord 15 is trained around other guide wheels 16disposed at several places inside the frame member a of the blind. Saidcord 15 is associated both at one side (at the left side in FIG. 2) andat several intermediate places inside of the frame member a with pairsof supplementary cords 17. Each of said pairs of supplementary cords 17is connected with the left and right edges (in FIG. 6) of the guide rail21 through a corresponding guide wheel 18. Now, when the cord 15 ispulled, the guide rail 21 is moved upwardly by means of thesupplementary cords 17. The bearings 2, are also lifted by means of thepulleys 4. This upward movement causes twistably movable pieces 5 to bemoved upwards and due to their twisted shape and their engagement withthe guide groove 20a, said pieces 5 are twisted or turned therebychanging direction in which the screen strips face. The angle ordirection in which the surfaces of screen strips face is determined bythe position of the cord 15. A desired direction or angle of surfaces ofscreen strips can be obtained by varying the position of the cord 15.The screen strips 9 thus directed so that'their surfaces face in adesired direction are maintained in that position by any adequatelocking or latching means with which the cord 15 is fastened or hooked.When the cord 15 is released, bearings 2, pulleys 4 and screen strips 9descend by gravity. The descending movements of the screen strips 9,bearings 2 and pulleys 4 can be stopped at any desired point byfastening the cord to any hooked means, thereby keeping the screenstrips 9 in any angle or direction as they are at the time of stopping.

FIG. 9 shows another twistably movable pieceand a mechanism thereofdifferent from the preceding ones, and FIG. 10 shows a longitudinalsectional view of this embodiment of the present invention with useofthe twistably movable piece 22 shown in FIG. 9.

A twistably movable piece 22 in this figure is formed in a cylindricalshape and is provided in the outer peripheral surface thereof with twotwisted or helical curved guide grooves 22a each extending in a verticaldirection. The two grooves have two points confronting one another atthe upper end of the cylinder and terminating at two points confrontingeach other at the lower end thereof. Said two guide grooves 22a have apoint 'of inflection at the median point thereof. The line l joining thetwo starting points 22b, 22b is parallel with the line l joining the twoterminating points 220, 22c and said points lie in a common verticalplane. The line l joining each point of inflection of the two groovesmakes a right angle to the plane containing both lines 1 and Theterminating points 220, 22c are twisted through an angle of 180 relativeto the corresponding points 22b, 22b. Said guide grooves are formedsymmetrically in relation to the longitudinal axis passing the medianpoint 220! of the line l and the radial axis.

Said twistably movable piece 22 is connected at the lower end thereof tothe upper end of the screen strip 9 through an attaching piece 23 in amanner such that the line l thereof makes a right angle with the surfaceof the screen strip 9, and is connected at the upper end thereof to thependent portion 2a of the bearing 2 by a universal joint 8 through anattaching piece 24.

25 is an annular guide ring, which has on the inside peripheral wallthereof a pair of bosses 25a, each being provided at confrontingpositions and which are received in the twisted grooves 22a of thetwistably movable piece 22. Said bosses have respectively outwardlyextending portions 25a1, to each of which a pulley 25b is mounted.

A pair of vertically movable frame pieces 26, each having an invertedU-shaped groove in sectional view, are mounted with their grooves facingeach other. The pulleys 25b are disposed in said grooves. Said pulleys25b housed inside the vertically movable frame pieces 26 are movablyhorizontal along the pieces 26 in response to the actuating movement ofmain pulleys 4 and said pieces 26 are movable vertically by means of thecords 17 as in the case of FIGS. 1, 3 and 5. In further detail, thevertically movable frame pieces 26 are lifted by pulling the cord 17 bymeans of the cord 15, and as they move upwardly, the twisted movablepiece 22 is turned or rotates with respect to the annular guide ring 25,thereby directing screen strips 9 to face in any desired direction. Theother elements in FIG. 10 are similar to those in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5.

The blind in the present invention having a device for operatingvertical shading strips so constituted as described hereinabove is muchsimplified in its structure, which creates many advantages such asreduction of manufacturing cost, reduced trouble, and smooth operationby easy handling.

What is claimed is:

1. A vertical blind construction, comprising:

an elongated generally horizontal frame having a track extendinglongitudinally thereof;

a plurality of vertically disposed strips extending downwardly from saidframe, each strip having a member extending upwardly therefrom;

elongated guide means defining a slot extending longitudinally thereof,said slot being parallel with, disposed below and extending in the samedirection as said track, said members extending upwardly through saidslot, said members and said guide means having mutually engaging partscapable of effecting rotation of said members about vertical axes inresponse to relative vertical movement between said guide means and saidmembers in order to effect rotation of said strips about vertical axes;

bearing elements mounted on and supported by said frame for lengthwisemovement along said track, each said bearing element having a dependingportion extending downwardly below said track and connection meansincluding a swivel device for connecting said depending portion to theupper end of one of said members so that strips can rotate aboutvertical axes relative to the bearing elements to which they areconnected;

means for effecting relative vertical movement between said guide meansand said members;

means for moving said bearing elements lengthwise along said track;

said guide means being fixed to said frame and held against verticalmovement with respect thereto, and means for effecting vertical movementof said hearing elements and thereby said strips with respect to saidframe; and

said. track being defined by a guide rail having opposed spaced-apartedges defining a slot therebetween, each said bearing element havingrollers respectively positioned above and resting on said guide rail onopposite sides of the slot therein, and elongated flexible meansconnected to said guide rail for effecting vertical movement thereofrelative to said frame.

2. A vertical blind construction, comprising:

an elongated generally horizontal frame having a track extendinglongitudinally thereof;

a plurality of vertically disposed strips extending downwardly from saidframe, each strip having a member extending upwardly therefrom;

elongated guide means defining a slot extending longitudinally thereof,said slot being parallel with, disposed below and extending in the samedirection as said track, said members extending upwardly through saidslot, said members and said guide means having mutually engaging partscapable of effecting rotation of said members about vertical axes inresponse to relative vertical movement between said guide means and saidmembers in order to effect rotation of said strips about vertical axes;

bearing elements mounted on and supported by said frame for length-wisemovement along said track, each said bearing element having a dependingportion extending downwardly below said track and connection meansincluding a swivel device for connecting said depending portion to theupper end of one of said members so that strips can rotate aboutvertical axes relative to the bearing elements to which they areconnected;

means for effecting relative vertical movement between said guide meansand said members;

means for moving said bearing elements lengthwise along said track;

said guide means being fixed to said frame and held against verticalmovement with respect thereto, and means for effecting vertical movementof said bearing elements and thereby said strips with respect to saidframe; and

said guide means is an elongated plate disposed below said guide railand having a longitudinal slot there through, said members eachcomprising a flat piece which is twisted about a vertical axis to form ahelix of at least about in arcuate extent.

3. A vertical blind construction, comprising:

an elongated generally horizontal frame having a track extendinglongitudinally thereof;

a plurality of vertically disposed strips extending downwardly from saidframe, each strip having a member extending upwardly therefrom;

elongated guide means defining a slot extending longitudinally thereof,said slot being parallel with, disposed below and extending in the samedirection as said track, said members extending upwardly through saidslot, said members and said guide means having mutually engaging partscapable of effecting rotation of said members about vertical axes inresponse to vertical movement between said guide means and said membersin order to effect rotation of said strips about vertical axes;

bearing elements mounted on and supported by said frame for lengthwisemovement along said track, each said bearing element having a dependingportion extending downwardly below said track and connection meansincluding a swivel device for connecting said depending portion to theupper end of one of said members so that said strips can rotate aboutvertical axes relative to the bearing elements to which they areconnected;

means for effecting relative vertical movement between said guide meansand said members;

means for moving said bearing elements lengthwise along said track;

said guide means being fixed to said frame and held against verticalmovement with respect thereto, and means for effecting vertical movementof said bearing elements and thereby said strips with respect to saidframe; and each of said member is of cylindrical shape and is providedon the peripheral surface thereof with two upright helical grooves Whichare circumferentially spaced apart by an angle of about 180, said guidemeans including portions projecting into said grooves for effectingrotation of said member on relative vertical movement between saidmember and said guide means. 4. A vertical blind construction accordingto claim 3, in Which said guide means includes a ring encircling saidmember and having internal pins projecting into said 8 grooves, a pairof guide rails disposed outside said ring on diametrically oppositesides thereof, said ring having rollers mounted on said guide rails andmeans for moving said guide rails vertically.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,556,942 6/1951 Reimuller 160l662,587,859 3/1952 King 160-166 2,768,679 10/1956 Kiefer 160l66 PETER M.CAUN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

